Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Legislative Session

Democrats want a ‘pet tax’ and registry in Colorado
Approved, State, thelobby-co.com

Democrats want a ‘pet tax’ and registry in Colorado

By The Lobby In yet another attempt to nickel and dime hardworking Coloradans, Democrats have proposed a ridiculous new bill that would create a burdensome "Pet Animal Registration System." Colorado House Bill 24-1163 aims to impose a tax of up to $8.50 on every pet in the state, including invertebrates, with the tax being payable annually. Not only does this bill require pet owners to register their pets with the state, but it also mandates the assignment of a "designated caregiver" for each pet. Failure to name a caregiver would result in an annual cost of $25 per pet. There is no limit or cap on the taxation, meaning that pet owners could potentially face exorbitant costs. This tax would be in addition to any local taxes, such as dog licenses, further burdening pet ...
The Replacements: 28 lawmakers appointed to 29 seats by small groups of party insiders
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

The Replacements: 28 lawmakers appointed to 29 seats by small groups of party insiders

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics With close to a third of lawmakers being appointed to office instead of elected by voters, the Colorado General Assembly likely holds a record that few state legislatures would want.  A Colorado Politics analysis showed that of 24 out of the 28 current state lawmakers appointed by vacancy committees, fewer than 40 party insiders on average picked the individuals who would represent the people at the state Capitol, instead of the 89,000 residents of a House district or the 165,000 people who live in a Senate's political boundary.  The 28 lawmakers who gained their positions — one legislator was picked twice to two different seats for a total of 29 appointments — through a vacancy go back all the way to 2010, when now-Sen....
Colorado House Democrats pass resolution to stifle honest debate and silence GOP voices
Approved, State, thelobby-co.com

Colorado House Democrats pass resolution to stifle honest debate and silence GOP voices

By The Lobby In a stunning display of partisan politics, Colorado House Democrats have passed House Resolution 24-1004, drawing strong protests from House Republicans who argue that changing these rules is a deliberate attempt to suppress conservative voices. The resolution, offered by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, passed on a party-line vote of 42-19, further highlighting the growing divide between the two parties. Minority Leader Rose Pugliese of Colorado Springs spoke out against the resolution on behalf of her caucus, pointing out the hypocrisy of Governor Jared Polis and House Speaker Julie McCluskie. Minority Leader Rose Pugliese speaking in opposition to House Resolution 24-1004, February 2, 2024. Both Polis and McCluskie had called for more civility and "...
Rep. Lynch: ‘I’m sorry and embarassed’
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Rep. Lynch: ‘I’m sorry and embarassed’

By Marianne Goodland | COLORADO POLITICS "I'm sorry." Rep. Mike Lynch of Wellington, the former minority leader of the state House, did not offer an apology to his colleagues or his constituents when he announced on Jan. 23 he would step down as minority leader. He had faced pressure from some Republicans to resign his post following his DUI arrest in 2022. But, on Thursday, Lynch unequivocally made an apology. "I'm sorry and embarrassed" to the core, Lynch told Colorado Politics. "As a body we fight to have a good impression and I'm very sorry I put a stain on that." READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADOPOLITICS.COM
Bill to make to-go alcohol law permanent passes committee
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Bill to make to-go alcohol law permanent passes committee

By Marissa Ventrelli | COLORADOPOLITICS.COM When restaurants were shutdown during the 2020 pandemic, a law allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages for takeout and delivery helped ease financial burdens for many business owners. With the temporary law set to expire in 2025, some lawmakers this year aim to keep it permanent.  SB 020, a bipartisan initiative, would remove the scheduled repeal of existing legislation allowing licensed businesses to continue selling alcoholic beverages for delivery or takeout permanently. The measure on Thursday cleared the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee.  To address concerns about drinking and driving, the bill requires all beverages to be sealed in tamper-proof containers and delivered by an employee over th...
Kill a police K-9, go to jail: Colorado bill would make harming, killing law enforcement animals a felony
Approved, kdvr.com, State

Kill a police K-9, go to jail: Colorado bill would make harming, killing law enforcement animals a felony

By Heather Willard | KDVR-TV DENVER (KDVR) — A bill that would increase penalties for individuals who harm law enforcement animals passed through a Colorado House committee Tuesday, bringing it one step closer to becoming a new law. The proposed legislation is moving forward almost a year after the death of K-9 Graffit of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Graffit was killed chasing a man through a wooded area on Feb. 13, 2023. Police say he had a gun on the School of Mines campus in Golden before the chase. The bill would change the law on aggravated cruelty to animals to become a Class 4 felony. The bill specifies this would apply to anyone who knowingly or recklessly kills or causes physical harm that leads to the animal being decommissioned from acti...
Bill requiring Colorado employers to display suicide prevention education passes through committee
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Bill requiring Colorado employers to display suicide prevention education passes through committee

By Marissa Ventrelli | COLORADO POLITICS A bill that would require Colorado employers to display posters and provide suicide prevention information in the workplace passed through the House Committee on Business Affairs and Labor this week.  HB 1015 would require workplaces to display posters created by the Division of Labor and Statistics that would provide information on suicide prevention training programs and educational materials. The posters will also include a QR code that links to a website to be created by the Office of Suicide Prevention. Employees will also be required to sign a handbook or manual that includes a notice about suicide prevention. All of these resources will be provided to employers for free. Ronald Dietz, a Littleton resident and survivor of...
Colorado could be first to protect biological data from Big Tech
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Colorado could be first to protect biological data from Big Tech

By Marissa Ventrelli | COLORADO POLITICS A panel of lawmakers approved legislation that would make Colorado the first in the nation to protect people's biological data from technology companies, raising worries that new machines could be come so powerful they could read thoughts.  The House Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 1058, which expands upon the Colorado Privacy Act's definition of "sensitive data" to include biological and neural data.  Under the measure, biological data means information that provides a "characterization of the biological, genetic, biochemical, or physiological properties, compositions, or activities of an individual's body or bodily functions." It includes neural data, which the bill defines as "information that c...
Gov. Polis signs first 2024 bill into law, increasing earned income tax credit
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Gov. Polis signs first 2024 bill into law, increasing earned income tax credit

By Marianne Goodland | Colorado Politics Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday signed the first law of the 2024 session — a throwback to a measure from the 2023 session that got tangled up in a lawsuit from a Republican lawmaker. House Bill 1084 would double the size of the earned income tax credit for low income Coloradans.  The measure, a do-over from last year, intends to repeal and replace House Bill 23B-1002, which is now the subject of a lawsuit from Rep. Scott Bottoms, R-Colorado Springs. Bottoms alleged he was denied an opportunity to have the bill read at length during the special session, and he sued the governor and House Speaker Julie McCluskie of Dillon. No hearing has yet been set for that lawsuit. READ THE FULL STORY AT COLORADOPOLITICS.COM
Colorado Democrats Push Controversial Bill, Undermining Parental Rights and Imposing Extreme Ideology on Foster Families
Approved, State, thelobby-co.com

Colorado Democrats Push Controversial Bill, Undermining Parental Rights and Imposing Extreme Ideology on Foster Families

SOURCE: THELOBBY-CO.COM A deeply concerning bill has been introduced in Colorado that seeks to impose a highly controversial and destructive policy on foster families. Colorado HB 24-1017, known as the Bill of Rights for Foster Youth, would compel foster families in the state to affirm the chosen gender identity of a foster child under their care. This alarming legislation, sponsored by Democrat Rep. Lindsey Daugherty, is yet another example of Colorado Democrats eroding parental rights in favor of an extreme and divisive woke agenda. The bill claims to protect the rights of children and youth in foster care, including those who identify as LGBTQ+. While it is crucial to ensure fair and equal treatment for all individuals, this bill goes too far by mandating that foster famil...

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